The present invention relates to muzzle-loading firearms and, more particularly, to muzzle-loading firearms which are capable of propelling a projectile therefrom with greater force than conventional muzzle-loading firearms of equivalent caliber.
Muzzle-loading firearms were an early development in the evolution of small firearms. The term "muzzle-loading" refers to the manner in which the propellant charge and projectile are loaded into the gun. Muzzle-loading firearms are loaded first with a propellant, i.e., black powder, and then a projectile, i.e., a ball or bullet, through the open discharge end or muzzle end of the gun. The ball or bullet is tamped in place providing a single shot before reloading is required.
The propellant charge is ignited through a touch or flash hole so as to explode the propellant and propel the projectile. Muzzle-loading firearms were originally of the matchlock type wherein a slow-burning match was lowered over the touch hole in the breech to ignite the propellant charge. Later, flintlock mechanisms and percussion-lock mechanisms were developed. The flintlock mechanism generally made use of a hammer for striking a spark to ignite the charge, while the percussion-lock mechanism used a cap or container holding a small explosive charge which, when struck by the hammer, caused a flame to flow through the flash hole to ignite the charge.
Muzzle-loading firearms are obviously of interest to gun collectors as such firearms represent an important stage in the evolution of modern firearms. In addition, though, muzzle-loading firearms are also in great demand by sportsmen for hunting.
In response to this great demand, a variety of converting devices for converting modern, breech-loading firearms to muzzle-loading firearms have been developed. Examples of such conversion devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,468 to Chapin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,249 to Brown et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 173,476 to Ladd. However, these devices only temporarily convert a breech-loading firearm to a muzzle-loading type firearm and are obviously not as desirable to a gun collector or sportsman who desires an authentic old muzzle-loading firearm or a replica of the same.
Conventional muzzle-loading firearms and replicas of the same suffer from the disadvantage that the projectile cannot be propelled with great force, such as can the projectile from a modern, breech-loading cartridge-type firearm. This disadvantage is due to the fact that conventional muzzle-loading firearms include a barrel having a bore of constant caliber from the muzzle to the breech end thereof. This caliber is consistent with the caliber of the projectile used. Accordingly, the cross-sectional area of the breech end of the bore which is to contain the powder charge is insufficient to place a large volume of charge therein. Use of too much powder in a conventional muzzle-loading firearm can result in incomplete ignition of the charge and fouling of the bore.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a muzzle-loading firearm at least the outside appearance of which is the same as authentic old muzzle-loading guns, but which is capable of propelling a projectile with greater force than a conventional muzzle-loading gun of equivalent caliber.